The Mobile City Council will be asked Tuesday to allow the city's Police Department to pursue a federal grant that will be used to purchase new digital technology for 350 police cars. The request requires a $144,265 local match. (file photo)

The Mobile City Council on Tuesday will vote on whether to
support the Police Department's pursuit of a U.S. Department of Homeland
Security-Federal Emergency Management Agency grant to purchase modems for
police cars.

"What the Police Department is trying to do with the grant
is what we are going to have to do anyway," Councilman Fred Richardson said
today. "They have to upgrade their modems to keep up with (technology changes).
Either we can use grant money to help us with it or we can turn the grant money
down and pay for it all ourselves."

The federal Port Security Grant Program requires a $144,266
local match for two-years. The federal government's portion is a maximum of
$432,797 for two years.

Mobile Police Major Phillip Snodgrass said the current grant
application would be used to purchase mobile digital terminals that would be
installed into the trunks of police cars. The terminals, otherwise known as
modems, would upgrade an outdated technology system that Snodgrass says is
about 15 years old.

"It's not something frivolous," Laura Angle, grants
administrator with the department, said. "We are behind the curve on getting
(the technology) upgraded."

The city needs to apply for the grant by June 24. Those
receiving the federal tax money would be informed by Sept. 1.

Snodgrass said the improved technology will enable police
officers to better access data from other agencies during patrol stops. He said
the system is an important communication tool between police and local 911
systems, among other networks.

"We have an antiquated system we are phasing out," he said.

Police Chief Micheal T. Williams said the department has had
to "piecemeal" systems together from those they have obtained from the Fire
Department and elsewhere. He said the new terminals would be installed into
patrol cars.

"They are for vehicles with computers in them," Williams
said. "Our detectives and administrative people don't have computers in them.
That's why we are not asking for about 600 of them."

Added Williams, "This is an opportunity to save the city
some money and to do away with the old system."

Council members appear to be initially supportive of
pursuing the federal grant, though they could have questions for Williams on
Tuesday.

Council President Reggie Copeland said while he wants to do "anything
we can do to help our Police Department," he anticipates asking the department
for an explanation of what the investment means for Mobile.

Councilman John Williams also said the grant's details and
how the money is managed locally should be looked at. He said he supports recapturing
federal tax money for local purchase for police.

"Certainly, every time we can recapture tax dollars and
bring them here to Mobile especially for police safety, we ought to do that,"
Williams said.

Richardson said the purchases are important for the police
to communicate effectively with the Federal Bureau of Investigations, among
other agencies.

"(Chief Williams) has found a grant that will
pay for 75 percent to upgrade those modems," Richardson said. "I support the
chief."